Process and apparatus for cooking and conditioning sausages and the like



Aug.. 17, 1926.

J. HETZEI.v PROCESS-AND APPARATUS FOR COOKING AND CONDITIONING SAUSAGES AND THE LIKE s sheets-sheet 1 atroz w11 Aug. 17, 1926. 1,5%,486

J. HETZEL PROCESS AND APPARATUS FOR COOKING AND CONDITIONING SAUSAGES AND THE LIKE Filed May 25. 1925 s sheets-sheet 2 @5% /WZAM @M Aug. 17,1926.

J. HETZEL PROCESS AND APPARATUS FOR COOKING AND CONDITIONING SAUSAGES AND THE LIKE Filed May 25. 1925 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 Patented Aug. 17,1926.

UNITED STA-TES vPATENT OFFICE.

.Iomr IIETZEI., or CI'IICA'CO, ILLINOIS, .assIGNon TO T'IIE ALBnIcuIT-NELL COMPANY,

Or CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION or ILLINOIS.

PROCESS AND ArrAaaTUs Foa COOKING Nn CONDITIONING sausaens AND THE LIKE.

applicati@ med my 25, 192s. serial No. 32,646.

My invention relates to processes and' apparatus for cooking and conditioning sausages and like food products, and more particularly to a continuousA process and apparatus for carrying out the operations.

An object of the invention isl to provide a process of the abovementioned character in which the sausages are subjected to a spray of hot Water after having been cooled to restore the smooth appearance of the casing and reconditionthe sausages.

Another object of the invention is to provide an apparatus of the-above mentioned character which is adapted to receive the sausages carried by the smoking sticks 'with the sausages thereon through a vat of hot water for a redetermined interval, under a sprayof co ing water, and then to a point from which they can be readily removed from the device and taken to the cooler.

Another Object of the ,invention is to provide an apparatus of the above mentioned character comprising a continuous conveyor for carrying the sausages through the vatof hot water and under the sprays of cold and hot water and to the point of discharge of thesausages from the machine. The conveyor is preferably variable in speed so that the length of time of cooking of the sausages in the vat of hot water can be regulated in accordance with the kind and size of sausages under treatment.

Still another object'of the invention is to provide. means for preventing the rising of the sausages toward the surface'of the boiling water in the vat or the floating of the sausages from the smokehouse sticks, or the Boating of the smoke house sticks off the conve or due to the action of the Water in the boi g vat. Preferably the means for preventing the sausages from leaving the f smoke-house sticks or the conveyor, comprise a conveying means operating above the conveyor carrying the smokevhouse sticks having the sausages thereon, which is made l up of members in the form of strips that are adapted to engage with the sausages to hold them in position on the sticks andbe low the surface of the hot water.

A further purpose of the invention is to provide a new and improved process for treating sausages after leavmg the smoke house comprising cooking the same, coolmg said sausages, spraying the same with hot water to smooth out the casing'thereof, and

drying said sausages after leaving the last mentioned spray.

Other obJects and advantages of the invention will appear as the description of the accompanying drawings proceeds. However, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the exact details shown or described,.but that it includes all such obvious changes and modifications of parts as would occurl to a person skilled in this art and as would 'fall within the terms of the appended claims.

-In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of approximate- 1y one-half of my improved machine;

Fig. 2 is a similar view of the other half thereof;

Figure 3 is'a fragmentary plan view of the right hand end portion of the machine shown in Fig. 1; l

Figure 4 1s an enlarged transverse sectional view thereof taken on the line 4-4 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 5 is a section taken on the line 5-5 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 6 is a detail lan view of a pair of the conveyor chain vfor carrying the smoke house sticks, portions thereof being broken away; and

Fig. 7 is a transverse sectional view of a smoke houseI stick showing the portion of one of said conveyor chain links cooperating with said stick in side elevation.

Referring in detail to the drawings, in

The vertically *extending members 10 in the right hand end 'portion of Fig. 1 are shown as being connected by means of a pair of longitudinally extending membersv the yoke 14 having guide mem- 13 ca bers 15 tEerein for sldablyreceivinl a at block 1 -6 with which a screw 17 engages has screw threaded engagement with the end member 18 of said yoke. The block 16 carries a shaft 19 upon which the sprocket Wheels 20 are mounted. It will thus be seen that the sprocket wheels 20 arev mounted for adjustment longitudinally of the device by moving the block 16 in the. guideway 15 by means of the screw 17. The longitudinally extending members 11 on each side of the machine between the second upright 10 from the right hand end of the machine and the next upright 10 are secured to uprights or vertically extending members 21 by means of the transverse members 22. Members 21 are provided with transverse members 2 3 upon which the tank 24 rests. A vertically extending member or upright 25 is also provided oneach side of the device between the members 21, said member 25 being secured to a transverse member 26, which is carried by thelongitudinally extending members 27 which tie together the vertically extending members 28, which vertically extending members 28 are movable vertically relative to the members 21. The members 28 are guided in their movement by means of the guide plates 29 and 30 secured to the members 21 and carry the longitudinally extending members 31 which tie together the members 28 at the upper end thereofand which also have secured thereto the members 25, and the transverse beams 103. The members 10 at each end of the tank 10 are also connected by the longitudinally ex tending members 102.

It will be seen that a stationary tank 24 is provided and a framework vertically movab e relative to said tank is provided adja` cent the same. This frame work may be moved up and down by means of a flexible member 32 at each end thereof secured to the members 28 by means of the eyes 33 and operating over the. pulleys 34 provided on the brackets 35 on the members 21, said brackets being clearly shown in Fig. 5. The pulleys 34 are mounted on shafts 36 extending between brackets 35 and the members 21. From the pulleys the flexible members 32 extend to the winding shafts 37 to which the ends of said flexible members 32 are secured, shafts 37 being provided with sprockets 38 over which the sprocket chain 39 extends. Provided on one of shafts 37 is a gear 40 with which the pinion 41 meshes. Pinion 41 is secured to the shaft 42 which is mounted in a bearing 43 on one of the members 21 and is provided with a crank or handle 44 for rotating the same. Pivotally mounted on a bracket 45 is a pawl 46 having a handle 47 for operating the same. Said pawl engages with the teeth on the pinion 104 on shaft 42 to prevent rotation thereof` whenA it is desiredn to hold the vertically movable framework' stationary. The members 31 are provided with bearings 48 carrying the shafts 49 upon which are mounted the sprockets 50 with which the conveyor chains 51 operating over the sprocket 2O engage. Conveyor chains 51 pass over the sprockets 52 provided on the Shaft 53 which is driven by means of the worm gear 54 engaging with the worm wheel 55 on said shaft 53. Worm wheel 54 is mounted on a shaft 56 which in turn is driven by a worm gear 57 mounted on the shaft 59. Shaft 59 is driven by means of a roller chain 60 passing` over the sprocket 61 on the shaft 59 and over the sprocket 62 on the shaft 63 extending from the variable mechanism are -not shown as this is a well known standard construction. By providing the speed changing mechanism the rate of travel of the conveyor chains 51 can be varied so as to vary the length of time that the sausages are subjected to the various operations in the machine.

The shafts i49 are also provided with sprockets 65 which rotate with said shafts. It will accordingly be seen tha-t as the sprockets 50 rotate they drive the shafts 49 and the sprockets 65 at the same rate of rotation as that of said sprockets 50. Accordingly the conveyor side chains 66 operating over said sprockets 65 will travel at the same speed as the chains 51, the sprockets 50 and 65v being of the'same size. The tank-24 is provided with a pair of angle members 67 and 68, the angle member 67 being secured to the sides of the tank and the angle members 68 being secured to the members 67, thus said members 67 and 68 form guidewaysfor the conveyor chains 5l.

'Said conveyor chains 51 comprise links 69 as shown in Figs. 6 and 7 which have hooklike portions 70 engaging in the openings 71 of adjacent links, each of said links 69 comprising a at plate-like portion to one side of the opening 71 to which is riveted a. bracket 72 having a channeled or U-shaped member 73 provided-with flanges 74 secured thereto, saidU-Shaped member 73 forming a socket for the reception of the smoking sticks 75.

As will be seen from F ig; 4, sticks 75 extend from one bracket 72 to the opposite bracket 72 and are adapted to have the 'sausages 76 draped over the same in the usual manner. Normally sticks 75 with the sausages 76 thereon will rest in the sockets provided for the same and will remain in position therein due to the action of gravity.

However, as such sticks are made of buoyant material and as the sausages themselves ing through the water in the tank 24. 'It

has been found that ordinarily not only Awould the sticks leave the sockets and float but the sausages would float olf the sticks, which of course would make it impossible to operate the device continuously and automatically as is desired. In order to overcome this diiiiculty means are provided for preventing the sticks and the sausages from `leaving their normal position when Ain thewater in the tank 24. For this purpose the strips or slats'77 are mounted on the -exl tensions 78 provided on the links 66, said members 77 having smooth faces for engagement with the sausages 76 andthe sticks 7 5 to prevent damage thereto.

As will be clear from Figs. 1 and 4 the sprockets and 65 extend downwardly into the waterin the tank 24 a suicient distance so that the sausages 76 .will be properly4 -brackets 7 2 pass around the upper corners of the tank at the side edges thereof, thus providing a guide for the conveyor chain to prevent undue lateral play thereof. The members 11 form guide members for the conveyor chains 51 on the return runs thereof and `said members 11 are provided with offsets 79 and lateral wings 80 for engagef ment by the brackets '72 and the ilanges 74 to guide. the conveyor chains and prevent lateral play thereof o n the return runs of the chains. It is necessary to have offsets 79 on the rreturn runs because there are no sticks between the bracketsl 72 to hold them properly spaced apart transversely of the machine. After the sticks' 75 carrying the sausages 76 have traveled through the hot water, the conveyor chains again travel upwardly, thus providing a downwardly offset portion in the upper run of the conveyor chains atthe cooking tank in order to immerse the sausages properly in the cooking water. The offset 1n said conveyor chains is obtained-by means of the sprockets 50 and the sprockets 8l and 82 mounted on the shafts 83 and 84 respectivelypmounted on bearings 85 and 86 rovided on the vertically extending mem ers 10 at each end of said tank 24. The smoking sticks .next pass into position under the cooling device comprising the tank 87 having a perforated bottom 88. Below tank -87 is provided a -tank 89 having inclined side Walls and having an openingat the bottom thereof leading to the pipe 90. Adjacent tank 87 is a similar tank 87 havin a perforated bottom 88and being provi ed with a tank 89 below the same, similar to the tank 89, said tank 89 empty-y ing into a pipe 90' corresponding tothe pipe 90. The space between the tanks 87 and 89 is closed at the sides of the device by means -of the member 91. lFrom the pipes 90 and 90 connecting .pipes 92 and 92 lead into the pump 93 from which a pipe 94 extends upwardly to the pipe 95 and 95 having the downward extensions 96 and 96 from which Water is discharged into the'tanks 87 and 87. In this manner, it will be seen that a circulating system of cooling water is provided which is sprayed over the sausages through the perforations in the bottoms 88 and 88 of said tanks 87 and 87 to cool the same as they pass along under said-tanks due to movement of said conveyor chains 51. It is, of course, to be understood that the number of spraying tanks is immaterial and may be varied as convenience and necessity require.

If the sausage is cooled 'in the ordinaryA manner heretofore carried out, a substantial loss in volume and weight due to evaporation "of moisture into the surrounding atmosphere through the open pores lof the casingduring the cooling occurs resulting in the formation of wrinkles and in a substantial loss of weight of the sausage. By rapidly cooling the .s ausage with -cooling water-, in accordance with my invention, the grease on, in the pores of, and under the casing harden and the `casing pores contract forming a protecting covering around the sausage during the remainderof the cooling operation, preventing the loss of moisture, corresponding loss of weight, and substantial wrinkling of the sausage. Due to the hardening of grease on the casing of the sausage during the cooling operation in' accordance with my invention, the appearance of the casing is dulled. By passing a spray of hot water over the sausage for abrief period of time, 'the grease may be washed away, and the casing can be restored to a bright pleasing condition, with- -out reheating the sausage to any appreciable degree, the heating effect of the hot waterv only-penetrating inward to a slight distance beyond the casing. As the temperature of the interior of-the. sausage has been lowered before rewarmng the surface, no substantialtendency for moisture to evaporate from the interior of the sausage .exists and some moisture penetrates the casing during the rewarming. As a result a bright, plump sausage with a substantially unwri-nkled casing is secured. The means -for supplying the sausages with hot water comprises af tank or receptacle 97 having a. perforated bottom 98, said receptacle being located above the upper run of the conveyor sof beyond the cooling sprays. Tank 97 is pro-- vided with a supply of hot water from the hot water supply pipe 99, \and it will be seen from Fig. 2 that the hot water sprays from the tank 97 onto the sausages 76 below the same for a brief period of time as the tank is not of any very great extent longitudinally of the machine. The hot water that Ais sprayed from the bottom of said tank 97 is received in the receptacle 100 below said upper run of the conveyor which is provided with a drain pipe 101. After the sausages have passed under the hot water supply, they are carried, along a sufficient length of the conveyor before reaching the sprocket 52,' to be dry when they reach the point at which they are removed from the machine by lifting the smoke house ticks out of the sockets or U-shaped memers.

It will be seen that not only is a new and improved machine provided for cooking and otherwise treating sausages which is continuous and automatic in operation and which is adjustable in speed so as to adjustthe length of time of cooking of the sausages but also a new and improved process of treating sausages is provided which comprises cooking, cooling and spraying said sausages with hot water after cooling the same to recondition said sausages. This process, as will be evident, can be carried on without the particular apparatus used or by hand and is not dependent on the particular machine described herein.

Due to the provision of the vertically movable framework carrying that portion of the sausage conveyor passing through the cooking vat and the device for holding the sausages immersed in the hot water, these devices can be readily elevated above the tank to permit cleaning'of the apparatus, this being necessary as a large amount of scum and grease remains in the tank after the sausages have passed through.

In providing means for holding the sausages and the sausage casing sticks immersed in the water, it is necessary that the slats engage the sausage with an even pressure, which must be such as will not break the sausage casing. By providing the slats on the chains which operate over sprockets, which are on the same shaft with the sprockets over which the guide chains of the conveyor for carrying the sticks pass, tlie relative position of the slats and the sticks can be very nicely adjusted so that breaking of the sausage casingis`prevented.

In cooking sausages in the ordinary way it takes a considerable length of time to fill the vat in which the cooking water` is placed, and as a result some of the sausages are cooked a much longer period of time than others, and there is ai4 great difference in the apperance and the uniformity of cooking of the sausages of each batch placed in the vat. In the machine comprising the present invention the sausages are all subjected to the hot water for the same length of time and the length of time during which said sausages are immersed in the hot water is dependent upon the speed of the conveyor which maybe adjusted in accordance with the length of time it is desired to cook the sausages. However, for any one kind of sausages the cooking operation is the same and the speed of the conveyor is uniform, thus a uniform cooking of the sausages is obtained at all times, and as far as known the apparatus shown in the drawings is the only apparatus by means of which such uniform cooking has been accomplished.

Having thus described my invention, what I desire to claim and secure by `U. S. vLetters Patent is:

1. A device of the character described,

comprising a cooking receptacle, means for conveying articles to be cooked through said receptacle, members for supporting said articles, said articles being suspended from said members, and means for holding said articles submerged in the cooking liquid in said receptacle while passing through the same, and in engagement with said supporting members.

2. A 'device of the character described comprising a cooking receptacle, a cool water spraying device, a hot water spraying device and a conveyor for passing sausages through said receptacle and under said spraying devices in succession. Y f

3. A sausage treating device, comprising a cooking receptacle, a cool water spraying device, a hot water spraying device and a continuous sausage carrying conveyor operating at a constant speed passing through said receptacle and under said cooling and hotl water spraying 'devices successively, whereby the relative proportion of time said sausages are cooked', cooled and sprayed with hot water is fixed.

4. A device of the character described comprising a cooking receptacle, a conveyor.

com risin a cooking rece tacle a conve or for sausages passing through the cooking liquid in said receptacle, and means for hold' ing said' sausages below the level of said '125 liquid as they move through the same, said conveyor and saidmeans being bodily `movl able into and out of saidvreeptacle'."

c, The method of .treating-sackedsaai sages, comprising 'spraying '13o with hot Water.

y ings thereof and then drying the same.

10. The methodV of treating sausages comprising cooking the same, spraying the same with suilicient cold water to cool the same, and spraying'the same with suiicient hot water to warm the casing without heating the interior of the sausage.

11. A device of the character described comprising a conveyor adapted to carry smoke-house sticks thereon, a cooking vat, said conveyor passing through the liquid in the cooking vat, and means above said conveyor for holding said sticks thereon while in said liquid. Y

12. A device of the character described comprising a conveyor adapted to carry sausage supporting smoke-house sticks thereon, a cooking vat, said conveyo' passing through the liquid in said vat, and means above said conveyor for holding said sticks thereon while in said liquid and for retaining said sausages on said sticks.

13. A device of the character described, comprising a cooking receptacle, means for conveying articles to be cooked through said receptacle, members for supporting said articles, said articles being suspended from said members, vand means for holding said articles'submerged in the cooln'ng liquid in said receptacle while passing through the same, said means clamping said articles to said members.

14. A device of the character described comprising a conveyor adapted to carry smoke-house sticks thereon, a cooking vat having cooking liquid therein, and a member moving with said conveyor for holding said sticks on said conveyor while in said liquid.

15. A device of the character described comprising a conveyor adapted to carry sausage supporting smoke-house sticks thereon, a cooking vat, said conveyor passing through the cooking liquid in said vat, and a member moving with said conveyor for holding said sausages on said sticks'an'd said sticks on said conveyor while in said liquid.

16. A device of the character described I comprising a conveyor adapted to carry smoke-house sticks thereon, a cooklng vat, said conveyor passing through the cooking liquid in said vat, and an articulated beltlike member moving above said conveyor .and holding said sticks on said conveyor while in :aid liquid.

17 A device of the character described comprising a conveyor adapted to carry sausage supporting smoke-house sticks thereon, a cooking vat, said conveyor passing through the cooking liquid in said vat, and an articulated belt-like member moving above said conveyor and holding said sausages on said sticks and said sticks on said conveyor while in said liquid.

18. A device of the characterdescribed, comprising a cooking receptacle, means for y conveying articles to be cooked through said receptacle, members for supporting saidarticles, 'said articles being suspended from said members, and means for holding said articles submerged in the cooking liquid in said receptacle while passing through the same, said means holding said members in engagement with said conveying means.

19. A device of the vcharacter described comprising a cooking receptacle, a sausage carrying conveyor passing through the cooking liquid in said receptacle and a member above said conveyor and moving in the same direction as said conveyor for holding said sausages below the surface of said liquid as said sausages move through the same.

20. A device of the character' described comprising a cooking receptacle,l a sausage carrying conveyor passing through the cooking liquid in said receptacle, a .member above said conveyor and moving in the same direction as said conveyor for holding said sausages below the surface of said liquid as said sausages move through the same and a driving connection between said conveyor and member for driving said conveyor and member at substantially the same linear speed.

21. A device of the character described comprising a cooking receptacle` a sausage carrying conveyor passing through the cooking liquid in said receptacle and a member above said conveyor for holding said sausages below the surface of said liquid as said sausages move through the same, said conveyor and said member being movable vertically into and out of said receptacle.

22. A device of the character described comprising a cooking receptacle, a sausage carrying conveyor passing ,through the cooking liquid in said receptacle and an articulated belt-like member above-said conveyor for holding said sausages below the surface of said liquid as ysaid sausages move through the same.

23. A `device of the character described comprising a cooking receptacle, a sausa e carrying conveyor passing through the coo ing liquid in said receptacle and a linked member above said conveyor for holding said sausages below the surface of sai liquid as said sausages move through the same.

24. A device of the character described comprising a cooking receptacle, a sausage carrying conveyor passing through the cooking liquid in said receptacle and a linked member having transverse strips above said conveyor for holding said sausages below the surface of said liquid as said sausages move through the same.

25. A device of the lcharacter described comprising a cooking receptacle and a sausage carrying conveyor passing through the cooking liquid in said receptacle, said conveyor comprising a pair of linked members' having therein.

26. A device of the character described comprising a cooking receptacle and a sausmoke-house stick receiving sockets sage carrying conveyor passing through the cooking liquid in said receptacle, said conveyor comprising a'pair of chains comprising links having laterally extending smokehouse stick receiving sockets therein.

27. A kdevice of the character described comprising a cooking receptacle and a sausage carrying conveyor passing throuoh the cooking liquid` in said receptacle, sai conveyor comprising a pair of chains comprising links having laterally extending brackets offset therefrom and smoke-house stick retion that the portion of the conveyor mounted thereon isdepressed below the surface of the liquid in said vat.

29.'A device of the character described, comprising a fixed framework, a movable framework, a cooking vat in alignment with said movable framework, a conveyor havin a portion mounted on said fixed framewor and a portion on said movable framework, a member for holding smoke-house sticks on said conveyor mounted on said4 movable framework means for moving said movable framework vertically and means for normally supporting said movable framework in such a position that the portion of the conveyor mounted thereon and said member are depressed below the surface of the liquid u1 said vat.

30. A device of the4 character described, comprising a fixed framework, a movable framework, a cooking vat in alignment with said movable framework, a conveyor having a portion mounted on said fixed framework, and a portion .on said movable framework, means for moving said movable framework vertically, means for normallyJ supporting mally supporting said movable framework in such a position that the portion of the conveyor mounted thereon and said mem'- ber are depressed below the surface of the liquid in said vat and means for holding said framework in elevated position above said vat.

32. A device of the character described, comprising a framework, a cooking vat mounted thereon, a Coldwater spraying device on said framework adjacent said vat, a hot water spraying device on. said framework adjacent saidcold water spraying device and means for conveying sausages through said vat from said vat to'said Icold water spraying device and from lsaid cold water spraying device to said hot water spraying device.

33. A device of the character described,

comprising a framework, a cooking vat mounted thereon, a cold water spraying device on said framework adjacent said vat, a hot water spraying device on said framework adjacent said cold water spraying device Aand means for conveying sausages through said vat from said vat to said cold water spraying device and from said cold water spraying device to said hot water.

spraying device, the extent of said hot water spraying device lengthwise Vof said conveying means being small in proportion to the extent of said cold water spraying device.

34. A device of the character described comprising a framework, a cooking vat mounted thereon, a conveyor passing through said vat, means for subjecting sausages on said conveyor to a coo s ra for a predetermined interval and iidleganli foi subjecting sausageson said conve or to a hot water spray for a relatively rief interval.

35. A device of lthe character described com rising a conveyor adapted to carry smo e-house sticks thereon, a cooking vat .having cooking li uid therein, and a member for moving 't said conveyor for holdin said sticks on said conveyor while in said liquid, said conveyor and said member operating over sprockets on common shafts.

36. The method of treating sausage which comprises cooking the same by contacting with hot water, spraying the hot cooked sausage with coolin water, and spraying the cooled sausage with rewarming water.

3 7. The method of treating hot cooked sausage which comprises contacting the freshly cooked sausage while hot from cooking with cooling water to seal the exterior surface thereof against evaporation of water from the interior of the sausage during the cooling operation and to cool the sausage from the exterior to the interior so that su stantial shrinkage and loss of moisture content of the sausage during cooling imme- 15 diately after cooking is avoided.

38. The method of treating sausage, which comprises cooking the sausages by contacting them to hot water; and spraying the hot cooked sausage immediately after cooking with cooling water to rapidly cool the sausage from the exterior inward so that the sausage casing is sealed to prevent substantial shrinkage during the operation due to loss of moisture through the sausage casing. In witness whereof I aiix my signature JOHN HETZEL. 

